“Engineered to take the torture of the toughest terrain, DUNE CAT features automotive type differential, torque sensing torque converter drive, 5 H.P. 4-cycle engine, low pressure ATV type tires.” So says a brochure about the 1972 HPE Muskin Dune Cat. This restored, improved, and restomodded example can be found listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Danville, Pennsylvania and they’re asking $3,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip!
The brochure goes on to say that these little ATVs have “Amazing hill climbing capabilities plus a top speed in excess of 30 M.P.H. Fiberglass body loads conveniently into any standard station wagon.” I’d definitely want to be on an actual sand dune while going 30 MPH with this thing, wiping out on pavement at 30 MPH would not be good at all with no roll bar, seat belt, etc.
Here’s the main restomod part, the seller significantly upgraded the engine, which we’ll talk about in a minute. HPE Muskin, originally from Muskin, Pennsylvania, made some fantastic mini bikes that are absolute gold today, buy everyone you can find, if you can even find one. We saw one here on Barn Finds and I really regret not buying that one, even though it needed to be restored. I mean, I just spent $1,000,000,000 – give or take – to restore a chrome kids pedal bike, I could have spent it on that mini bike! Or, this Tri-Cat that we saw about nine months ago.
Muskin was in on the incredible boom years of personal recreation vehicles of the early 1970s back when just about every company seemed to be getting in on snowmobiles, mini bikes, three-wheelers, and everything in between. The seller has done some absolutely spectacular work on this beautiful example, very, very well done, sir! If it had a rebuilt original engine I would be very tempted to nab this one, but I like my vehicles to be original spec as much as possible. You can see that they turned what was a hashed and/or crashed front end, with some very skilled fabrication work, into the beautiful metallic flake blue Dune Cat that you see today. Gor-friggin’-geous! They even improved on the original design by adding some aluminum “surrounds” around the gas and brake pedal slots in the fiberglass, nice! I want this gentleman to restore all of my vehicles.
This 212-cc Predator Ghost single-cylinder engine should have around 6.5 horsepower or so, more than the 5 hp that the original Dune Cat would had. They also added a disc brake, a new 30-series Comet torque converter, all-new bearings, new decals, new tires, new cables, they reinforced the fiberglass, and the list goes on and on. I can’t believe they’re only asking $3,000 for this much work, engineering, and money that they spent on this machine. This is one sweet ride, have any of you seen a Muskin Dune Cat?
“…seen a Muskin Dune Cat?…”
nope. not really interested either, just curious.
Shinny lill thing.
For kids I’d imagine. Every time I C a ‘cart’ type thing I remember even as a kid being a wip from my waist up, havin the steer wheel bang stomach and top of thighs w/each bounce. Pre teen seems bout right fora kid whos parents worked him/her up to this. Good trainin for the bigger (human sized) rigs.
And yet, I C adults in them (defies description)…
Looks like the only suspension is the tires. Posted 11 weeks ago.
Once again, the King delivers another oddball from who knows where? I don’t recall the minibike, a sure sign of old age, but this looks awfully unsafe to me. No ROPS or restraints of any kind, I suppose their logic was you’d be thrown clear, should rare upset occur. Truth is, I bet these didn’t look like this for long, with operator battle scars to show. The original engine, I think was a flathead 5 hp. B&S, one of the bigger singles, but this motor, I read, is a Harbor Freight Chinese knockoff of the newer Briggs OHV single. Meh, I’d take the old Milwaukee iron myself. I’d say fun until the 1st spill, which I don’t think would be too long.
Case in point. Many moons ago, I had a home built atv, no body, but square tube frame, originally powered by a Honda 160 twin motor. It was a clumsy thing, with shifting and all, big tires, very unstable. I then put our old Polaris snowmobile 16 hp. single motor and drive belt, made a much easier setup, once the JLO got running. No roll bar or seat belt. My then BIL and nephew begged me to let them ride it, I reluctantly agreed, they took off, the 1st corner, too fast, and went flying. A lesson learned on all fronts.
King Lothar… hmmmmm…. :) I like the sound of that.
Thanks Howard. I do like the oddities.
This would be something I’d have drooled over as a kiddo, like I did anything w/ a motor out of the Sears Catalog, etc. Instead, I got a one-time, for me, best Christmas gift ever … a nice little Kawasaki KD-100M dirt bike. I nearly jumped through the ceiling when I saw it Christmas morning. My parents didn’t spoil me but just that one day, they did, and I’m eternally grateful, and I’ve been riding motorcycles ever since.
We have a Dune Cycle our parents got us back in 70-72, three wheels, bucket seat, 5hp Briggs, dual band brakes,, flat track/turf tires. It is a hoot to ride but pretty dangerours as you sit in a bucket seat with your legs streached out and you feet on foot pegs. When your foot comes off a peg it usually folds your leg back and it goes under a rear tire and drags you off the thing! I owned a Tri Cat with a 440 twin cylinder Rotax and expansion chambers that flat out flew down the road, had another Tri Cat with a McCulloch engine that was as fast and more dangerous with the increased hp.
Muskin was in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, I worked there in the late 70’s early 80’s after they quit making these, but heard the stories about these. The HPE in HPE Muskin was for Home Pool Enterprises. They were the world’s largest manufacturer of above ground swimming pools. This was one of their many sidelines they tried over the years. They also tried patio furniture and weight lifting benches, but their main product was always the pools. We had our Muskin pool for over 25 years, they made a top notch product.
Think Shriners desert patrol in your local 4th of July parade….red paint, sword earrings and fez not included.
This one didn’t have to travel very far to find a home. Danville is about an hour away from Wilke-Barre, IIRC.
Wilkes-Barre, home of NASCAR’s Jimmy Spencer.
That’s incredible, I bet you freaked when you saw this. For someone to actually have such a connection to these, um, creations, really hits home. Something the author loves to hear, his research wasn’t in vain.
I actually had the use of a Muskin dune cat for about 4 or 5 years, when I was 10-15 years old. My older brother bought it from a couple of guys that had out grown it. One of them was in the process of changing the oil in it, when the other tried to take it for a ride..
The engine was trash. I think he paid 50 bucks for it. My dad ran a repair shop, and had it running in very short order. Dad thought it looked unsafe and put a roll bar on it. Also added a small bumper to the front. The thing was a blast. Never had any issue with it tipping or not being able to stay in the seat. A friend had a Honda trail 70?, and we spent many hours running around together. The metal flake blue was the same color I had. This was in the early 70’s, and this is the first one that I seen anywhere in the past 55 years. I’m not sure, but I think it’s still parked behind my brothers house. He had passed away 5 plus years ago.
Sold, sold, sold!
I’ve owned a dune cat since the 80’s. Bought it for my son when he was a youngster, then took it to my cousin’s farm where it was enjoyed by many friends, neighborhood kids and relatives. The ole girl is tired and needs some TLC. She’s got flat tires, an inch of dust on her, a cracked frame and a tired engine. Now that I am retired I am going to make the time to bring her back to life. She brought so much joy to so many. It is just a different kind of “ride”. Probably end up putting it on Marketplace when done.
Why don’t you have us auction it right here on the site?
Good idea !!! I probably will. To advertise on a site like yours, where people appreciate a good “barn find”, is the way to go.
I do want the satisfaction of refurbishing her. Lots of memories with the ole girl !!!